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LinkedIn has that meter that keeps hassling me that my profile isn't complete. I need to put my education information in there.

But I don't have a formal qualification. I started a degree many years ago, but only did one semester. I don't think it's relevant to put that in there as I have no intention of ever completing it.

1. Does a viewer think I haven't completed my profile and thus feel I don't finish things?
2. Am I wrong? Should I put that one semester in there with the note "incomplete"?

Cheers!
Rick Measham

refbruce's picture

1) You will probably never have your profile complete.  Mine's 90%, but so what.  It has what I want on it.  M&M also commented that 100% complete (by LinkedIn's definitions) is not the target.

2) As with all such things, focus on making the system work for you, not letting the system make you work for it.  I routinely don't answer questions on surveys and such when I don't think they really need the information.

3) You can list an institution and not put a degree down.  I tested that with my profile this morning. 

4) The bigger question -- how to present the fact you have some college education, but not a formal degree (if I understand your post correctly).  You can leave it out, though that might raise some questions, particularly if the rest of your profile is complete.  From my viewpoint as a hiring manager, I'm going to focus mostly on what you've been doing for the past 5-10 years. If those are solid, and you simply listed a university with no degree specified on LinkedIn, I probably wouldn't toss you out of the stack.  Even more importantly is how you present this on your resume.  I've seen this successfully done as "XYZ College <dates>".  Since this goes at the bottom of most resumes (by M&M's guidance), this isn't an up-front disqualify.  If you're applying someplace where a bachelor's degree is a requirement and you don't have one, then you're done.  If you're applying someplace that is focused more on people and what they can do, you're lucky and you've got some options. 

mmann's picture
Licensee Badge

Rick,

All of REFBRUCE's options are good.  If you feel compelled to achieve 100% another option is to enter whatever you want to meet the LinkedIn requirement then choose to not display education on your profile.

--Michael

asteriskrntt1's picture

If you don't want to fill it in, put in XXXXX.  If someone is putting their entire value on whether you are 100% complete according to LinkedIn's evaluation system, do you really want to be associated with that person?

jhbchina's picture

Rick,

No one sees that meter but you when you are editing your profile. Where else do you see this meter? I only see it on the "edit my profile" page. When I look at my other contacts, I do not see this meter.

Ignore it if you are happy with the information you have submitted.

As usual the other MT'ers have given you helpful comments to move forward.

JHB  "00"

MsManager's picture

As a hiring manager, I would rather see you not list your one semester on your LinkedIn profile or Resume at all. % completion on LinkedIn is not relevant. If you had completed most of the degree program and were only a few credits short, then I would say list it.